Harare, (New Ziana) – Palestine has issued a forceful condemnation following what it described as a “provocative storming” of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem by far-right Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, accompanied by groups of extremist settlers under the protection of Israeli occupation forces.
In an official statement, Palestinian ambassador to Zmbabwe, Dr Tmer Almassri denounced the incident as a “flagrant violation of international law” and a direct attack on the religious and historical status quo of one of Islam’s holiest sites.
He said the incursion represents not an isolated event but part of a broader pattern of escalations by Israeli authorities. “The storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is not an isolated incident, but rather the latest in a series of deliberate provocations of the feelings of Muslims and Christians around the world by Israel, which have escalated tensions in the region to a breaking point,” he said.
Dr. Almassri warned that the Al-Aqsa incident, combined with a series of recent events—including attacks on Christian communities and calls by Israeli officials for further annexation of Palestinian territory—has brought the region to the brink of a broader conflict.
The ambassador also pointed to the protracted crisis in Gaza, now in its 660th day of sustained Israeli military bombardment and blockade. Officials say the humanitarian situation has reached catastrophic proportions.
According to figures provided by the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the military campaign, with an estimated 12,000 more still buried under rubble.
Officials also say that an average of 28 children are dying each day due to ongoing attacks and the lack of access to basic necessities such as food, clean water, and medical care.
“Furthermore, the ongoing Israeli bombardment and starvation in Gaza, which has lasted for over 660 days, has resulted in the senseless slaughter of 28 children per day. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is nothing short of catastrophic, with over 60,000 Palestinians killed and 12,000 more buried under the rubble.
“The international community cannot continue to turn a blind eye to these atrocities, and it is imperative that urgent action is taken to bring an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people,” he said.
Palestine is now calling on the international community to not only condemn these actions in the strongest terms but to take decisive steps to hold Israel accountable for what it describes as widespread violations of international humanitarian law. “The continued inaction of the international community amounts to complicity. It is time to end the culture of impunity,” said Dr Almassri.
He called on international bodies, including the United Nations and the International Criminal Court, to open investigations into potential war crimes and to enforce measures that would pressure Israel to halt its military actions and settlement expansions.
While some governments have voiced concern over the situation in Gaza and tensions surrounding the Al-Aqsa Mosque, meaningful action has been limited with Palestine’s latest call to action coming amid mounting criticism of what many rights groups describes as a global failure to prevent humanitarian collapse and potential ethnic cleansing. ”
The situation is no longer sustainable. Unless the world acts now, we will witness an even greater tragedy unfold before our eyes,” he said.
New Ziana
